There is no way around it – the aging process is eventually going to catch up with everyone. However, what most people do not know is that many of the ailments and aches that people associate with getting older can be avoided.

Keep in mind that when done by trained professionals, corrective chiropractic care is a safe and effective treatment for all patients. This is even true for those patients that are getting up there in age and are bit more frail. It can help alleviate pain associated with inflammation, a common issue amongst older citizens. By alleviating spinal misalignments in a safe way, it is possible to reduce inflammation and improve the nervous system. These are some of the major benefits.

It can help with pain relief

It is becoming more common to see elderly citizens rely on prescription pain medication in order to maintain a decent quality of life. Chiropractic care and massage therapy is no fountain of youth, but it is capable of reducing discomfort related to abnormalities of the spine and inflammation of the soft tissue structures that surround the spine. A doctor of chiropractic is capable of identifying and treating misalignments of the vertebrae (subluxations), which positively stimulates the central nervous system.

Increased range of motion

Most elderly citizens complain that they are not as flexible as they once were. It is possible to increase the range of motions in the extremities and the spine through chiropractic care. This can be beneficial in several different ways, whether it be being able to work in the garden or pick up the grandchildren. In fact, most elderly citizens report an immediate increase in their range of motion once the chiropractic adjustments are complete.

Increased balance and coordination

Studies show that degenerative changes or injuries to the cervical spine (the neck region) are responsible for many of the problems with coordination and balance in the aging population. Our brain receives essential information from mechanoreceptors located in the back joints of the cervical spine. These provide the brain with vital information for coordination and balance.

As people get older, the mechanoreceptors start to show mild defects. This leads to these mechanoreceptors no longer working as good as they did before, leading to a decrease in our sense of body awareness (proprioception). The decrease in proprioception is one of the reasons many elderly patients have problems getting out of a chair without assistance for example.

Studies have shown that chiropractic care can help restore coordination and balance by stimulating the cervical spine’s mechanoreceptors. The improvement in coordination and balance is thought to be because of the restoration or normalization of the joint receptor functioning.

Decreased joint degeneration

Keep in mind that if the spine is not in alignment, it is going to be just like a misaligned wheel on an automobile. The misalignment leads to both the wheel (and the spine) wearing out prematurely. Especially if we considering that all moving parts are going to gradually wear down, it is important to reduce the wear and tear on such important parts of our body as much as possible. By reducing spinal stress and normalizing the spinal alignment, it is possible to decrease arthritic changes and spinal degeneration.

Decrease the risk of falls

Amongst the elderly population, injuries attributed to falling are extremely common. In fact, falls attribute to approximately 90 percent of all the bone fractures of citizens over the age of 65. As previously mentioned, chiropractic care for seniors can have normalize the mechanoreceptors of the cervical spine. This is going to help provide better mobility and balance, thus drastically reducing the risk of a fall. It is also recommended to use exercise and stretching programs to increase coordination, balance, mobility, flexibility, and strength.

Keep the seniors out of nursing homes

There have been several studies that show that chiropractic care for the elderly makes it possible to seniors to live on their own far longer. Some of the key results in some of the studies include:

• Amongst those in the chiropractic care group, 44 percent reported having arthritis. The non-chiropractic care group had 66 percent of the people report having arthritis.
• Those residents who used chiropractic care were more likely to do strenuous levels of exercise.
• A follow-up three years later revealed that amongst those who used chiropractic care, less than 5 percent lived in a nursing home. Amongst those who did not use chiropractic care, 48 percent lived in a nursing home.
• At the same follow-up, amongst those who used chiropractic care, 26 percent of them were hospitalized. Amongst those who did not use chiropractic care, 48 percent had been hospitalized.

Find out more

If you want to learn how our treatment specialists are able to help elderly patients regain or maintain mobility and stability, we highly recommend that you schedule an appointment and discuss the current issues that you might have. You should visit Total Back Care today. Call 8357 8211 now to schedule an appointment and find out for yourself that it is never too late to make a positive change for your health.